Carnival Victory--Its all about the 7 Islands in 7 days....

Sail Date:
August 2010

Destination:
Europe - Eastern Mediterranean

Embarkation:
San Juan

Ok--so this is a mixed review. First of all, the itinerary is the key here. If you are looking for a cruise with a bunch of sea days, great ship, wonderful food--this is NOT your cruise. What makes this a great cruise is the 7 Islands in 7 days--everyday you awaken to a new Island--and the islands are different--Barbados is relatively flat, Dominica is mountainous. You can see old forts and other historical sights. You get nice beaches too. Gardens, interesting towns (although a bit run down). Different options for sightseeing also--you can take the public bus on some islands, or take a tour either independent or thru the cruise. So, overall the cruise is great. If you have kids--great to show them the different Islands and the culture.

But, lets talk about the Victory--is kind of average. Condition of the ship is fine--people say the boat is getting old but it was perfectly servicable. Re the decor--really most of the decor, maybe a bit over the top, but pleasant. Except More
for the Lido deck--really ugly--not sure if they were trying to get a "New Orleans" look--dont know but its not nice at all.

Cabin--plain but big. You really feel those extra square feet. I have been in nicer rooms but smaller. You wont feel cramped. Shower a little small, but rest of bathroom decent size. Rooms are plain--kind of like a Holiday Inn.

Service--sort of OK--not great, but certainly not poor. It aint a higher end cruise line, but at this price point--I had no issues. Dont expect really friendly service, but is definitely acceptable.

Food--now thats a difficult topic. The food in the general Lido deck was frankly very poor. We never ate there. The Asian food was good though--open at lunch. In the sit down restaurant--food was fine--a bit lower quality than say Holland America but many dishes really good. Breakfast--we also ate at the restuarant also. Interestingly, there appeared to be a division on the ship--looked like a lot of people really wanted to only eat in the Lido deck--I assume wanted the unlimited food options.

So, an overall summary--Cruise Itinerary I would give a 5 star, Ship a 3 star--so lets average it out to a 4 star. Again, if you are looking for the cruise ship experience--don't do this cruise--but if you want to see a lot of interesting Islands and sights--go for it. You wont be sorry. Less